Cigar lighter



Patented Apr. 23, 1.929.

UNITED STATES- JOSEPH H. COHEN, 0F BRIDG-EPORT, CONNECTICUT.

CIGAR LIGHTER.

Application led September 8, 1928. Serial No. 304,746.

This invention relates to electric cigarlighters, and more particularly to the general type of cigar-lighter which fits in or on a-holding device from which it may be taken for use.

Although the kind of device now commonly in use is connected to an. electric cable, this invention is concerned with a slightly different type in which the igniting unit is removed from the holder bodily and electrically for use.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved removable lighting unit for such a device, which 1s so supported on the holding means thatA the heating element thereof is concealed, so as to be invisible and inaccessible. By this provision, the appearance of the device is enhanced, for the oxidized ash-coated'heating element is not exposed to view and, further, dange'r'- of someone, a child for instance, :burning a finger by accidental engagement with the heatlng ele- A ment in the act of operating` or replacing the removable lighting unit, or while toying with the same, is.obviated.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of this invention,

that at present preferred- Figure 1 is a sectional view of a supporting structure and holding device, the removable lighting unit of the present invention being shown on the holding device.

GFig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the holding device moved by the users hand through the mediumrof the lighting device, so as to close the switch contained in the 'holding device for the purpose of heating the heating device.

Fig. 3 is an end view, showing the removable igniting unit in' which the heating element is located, theA removable igniting unit being shown as having been removed parts of the body ofthe igniting unit sepafrom the holding device and being held in rgte lto show their conformation.

The device of thepresent invention illus.

trated isnparticularly adapted for use on a motor vehicle and comprises a holding device` and a removable ignitingA unit. The

of the holding l former, in the form shown herein, comprises a post 14 which has a shoulder 15 and a screw-threaded rod 17 which, after being passed through a hole provided in the instrument board 16 to receive it, is adapted to receive a washer 18 and a nut 19 by the tightening of which the shoulder is drawn firmly against the instrument board 16 to securely fasten the holding device thereto. The holding device also comprises a cap 20 adapted to telescopically slide upon a ange 21 on the post 14 and is held thereon against removal by the' end of the cap being spun or peened over to engage the edge of the flange 21. Interposed between the end of the cap 20. and the forward end of the flange 21, is a coil spring 22 which holds the cap 20 normally in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the peened over end of the cap in engagement with the flange 21.

The holding device' has two contacts adapted to be engaged by Acooperating contacts on the removable igniting unit. One of these contacts is constituted by the cap 20 While the other is a contact 27 centrally located on the end of the: cap 20 and insulated therefrom. Normally, the contact 27 is dead, i. e. does not carry current, for it is out of engagement with a live Contact 24 carried by an insulating sleeve 25 forced into a hole in the end of the post 14 and electrically connected to a feed wire 26 leading to a source of E. M. F. When the igniting unit is supported on the cap 2() and thc latter, through the medium of the igniting unit, is slid by hand toward the instrument board, the contact 27 is moved into engagement with the-live contact 24, thus causing current to flow to the removable igniting unit, Upon release lof the pressure on the cap 20, the spring 22 returns the cap to normal position, opening the circuit leading to the igniting unit by causing a gap to occur between the live contact 24 and the normally dead contact 27 on the holding device.

The holding device above described is disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 254,962, filed February 17, 1928. In said application, I have disclosed a removable ignlting unit comprising a heating element which, while located in a cavit is exposed to view and accessible 'for ger engagement while supported on the holding device. The heating element coming in contact with tobacco and ashes of cigars and cigarettes soon becomes laden with ashes and tobacco particles and does not present a good appearance. Moreover, in spite of its location in a cavity of the body of the removable igniting unit, the

heating element can be accidentally or' thoughtlessly touched by a finger and, should it be hot at the time, a bad burn may result. For instance, a child, not knowing the danger, might put its finger in the cavity and push on the heating element and be burned thereby.

These dangers and disadvantages have been obviated by the present invention by so mounting the removable igniting unit that the heating element is concealed and inaccessible when supported on the holding device.

In the form of the invention illustrated herein and exemplary thereof, the igniting unit comprises a heating element 28 in the form of a spiral coil of high resistance wire supported on a disk 29 of mica or other suitable material which in turn is carried by a perforated metal disk 30. The outer y end of the heating element coil is secured to the metal disk 30 at 31 while the inner end is pinched in a transverse slit in the end of the metal pin 32 which extends through the mica disk 29 and the metal disk 30 and is peened over or riveted after the insertion of insulated material 33 between the pin and the plate 30.

According to the present invention, this heating element 28 is mounted in a body member 34 which comprises two parts 34a and 34h, said parts being provided with cooperating screw threads 35 by means of which they are held together. The part 34a of the body has a central bore 36 extending through it from end to end, while in the part 34b there is provided a depression 37 and a solid wall 38. This central bore 36 and depression 37 forms a cavity which is open at one end 39 of the body and closed at the other end by the wall 38. The heating element 28 is located within this cavity and is held in place adjacent the inner end of the bore 36 in the part 34 by the clamping action resulting from the tightening of the screw threads when the parts 34n and 34b are assembled in a manner more fully explained below.

The central bore 36 in the part 34a is so shaped as to permit the insertion of the end of a cigar or cigarette which may thus be brought into direct contact with the coil of the heating element 28, for the latter is placed in the cavity so as to face the end 39 of the body. The part 34a also constitutes a shield to prevent draughts of air from quickly cooling off the heating element and also acts as an ash guard to catch any ashes that may fall oli` a cigar or cigarette in the act of religniting the same. In order to `may be constituted 'b conceal the heating element from View, it is mounted on-thc holding device so that the end 39 of the body lies adjacent to the instrument board 16 While the solid wall 38 of the body faces persons sitting in the car. The mounting of the removable igniting unit to obtain these results is, according to the present invention, accomplished by shaping the bore 36 in the body so that the post 14 and cap 20 may enter the same and engage bearing surfaces provided on the wall of the cavity. These bearing surfaces the internal wall of the part 34 itself if desired. Preferably, and in order that the removable igniting unitI may be frictionally held on the cap 20 of the holding device against accidental removal, the cavity 36 is made slightly oversize and there is interposed between the cap 2O and the internal wall of the part 34u a slit sleeve 40 of springy material and so biased as to tend to move away from the internal Wall of the part 34a. This sleeve 40 is provided with a flange 41 adapted to engage the disk 30 of the heating unit on the one hand and the end 42 of the part 34*L on the other hand.

Hence, when the device is assembled, the sleeve 40 is inserted in the bore 36 of the part 34'L1 and the heating unit 28 is placed in the depression 37 so that its edge will engage a circumferential flange 43 in the part 34", the parts are then brought together and turned one upon the other to tighten them by means of the screw-threads 36. This causes the flange 41 of the slit sleeves to press the disk 30 of the heating unit firmly against the circumferential flange 43. Vith the parts thus assembled, when the removable igniting unit is placed on the cap 2O of the holding device, opposite sides of the sleeve yield and engage the surface of the cap 2() with sufficient pressure to hold the igniting unit thereon against accidental removal.

The removable igniting unit has two contacts adapted to continuously engage two contacts on the holding device when the igniting unit is slid home on the cap as far as it will go without moving the cap. One of these contacts is constituted by the slit sleeve 4() which engages the cap 20 on the post 14 and the other is the pin 32 which holds the center of the heating coil and which engages the contact 27 on the cap 20. Thus it will be seen that in addition to-serving as the bearing surface for the removable igniting unit, the slit sleeve 40 also constitutes one of the contacts of the removable igniting unit.

In order to provide for guiding the end of the cigar or cigarette to the heating element, the end 39 of the part 34 has a bevelled surface 44 and the end 45 of the sleeve 40 is belled out slightly so as to be coextensive with the bevelled surface 44. To prevent V with a shoulder 46 behind which lies the end of the sleeve.

In order to insulate the wall 38 from heat developed by the heating element 28, the depression 37 in the part 34h is made of substantial size so as to form an air pocket tor the dissipation of the heat, the air heated in the pocket by the plate 30 being allowed to escape through the perforations in the plate 30. If desired, further protection may be afforded by placing a cup-shaped asbestos washer 47 againstl the interior of the Wall 38.

In using the device, the operator may grasp the device as shown in Fig. 2, ob-

taining purchase against the circumferential bead 48 on the part 34a or he maypush directly on the wall 38 with his finger. It the former method is employed, however, 'the position of the igniting unit need not be changed in the users hand, for it may be slid off the cap 2O and then the hand may be turned to bring it against a cigar or cigarette held in the mouth ready to be ignited..

- the passage yof the cigar or cigarette to be ignited. In the present case, however, only Y one Such cavity is needed, andthis cavity loe- Comes both a cigar receiving ash guard and igniting unit supporting surface.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others. l

Havingv thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to obtain Letters-Patent, is

l. A cigar-lighter comprising a body, a heating element, the body having a cavity open at one end Within which the heating element is'located and into which a cigar or cigarette may extend to bring the end thereof into contact with the heating element to be ignited thereby, and means in the cavity between the open end lthereof and the heating element adapted to engage a post-like holding device on which the cigarf lighter may be supported for quick removal and replacement.

2. A cigar-lighter comprising a body, a heating element, the body having a cavity open at one end within which the heating element is located, the otherend of the body being closed and constitutin a handle by means of which the ci ar-llghter mayr be grasped, and means at t e open end oi the body for mountin the cigar-lighter on a supporting device :tor quick removal and replacement so that Vthe heating element is concealed by the supporting device and the closed end of the bod?7 is exposed and accessible to be manua ly engaged for the manipulation of the cigar-lighter.

3l A cigar-lighter comprising a body, a I

heating element located within the body, the body iaving a cavity open at one end Within which the heating element is located `and into which a cigar or cigarette may extend -to bring the end thereof into contact with the heating element to be ignited thereby, and supportin surfaces in said cigarreceiving cavity a apted to engage a ostlike holding device on which the cigar-lighter may be supported for quick removal and replacement.

4. A cigar-lighter having a body provided with a heating element and an ash-guard surrounding the heating element, and resilient holding means located Within the ashguard adapted to engage a post-like projection upon which the cigar-lighter may be supported for quick removal and replace-- ment.

5. A cigar-lighter having a body provided with a cavity open at one end; a heating element located in the cavity, the portion of the body between the heating element and theI open end of the cavity constituting an ash-guard; and a slit sleeve mounted in the body and located adjacent the walls of the cavity, said sleeve being adapted to frictionally graspa post-like holding device adapted to extendfinto said cavity to hold the cigarlighter thereon against accidental removal, yet permit quick removal and replacement of the cigar-lighter on the holding devlce.

6. A cigar-lighter comprising a body having a cavlty opening at one end of the body; a heating element located deep in said cavity and being accessible through said cavity for engagement with a cigar or cigarette ignite the end of the same when placed 1n said cavity; and means connected to a source of E. M. F. and removably extending into said cavity to connect the heating element to the source of E. M. F. to heat the heating element and prepare the latter for the lighting of a cigar or cigarette.

7. A cigar-lighter igniting unit mounted for quick removal, comprising a heating element, a body having a cavity open at one end Within which the heating element is mounted and into which cavity a cigar or cigarette may be placed to ignite the end of the same, and contacts in the cigar-receiving cavity for removable engagement with cooperatino contacts connected to a source of and adapted to extend into said cavity..

.8. A cigar-lighter comprising a body formed of two parts, one part having a central bore extending from end to end thereof, and the other part having one end closed, said parts being provided with cooperating screw threads whereby they are held t0- gether, and a heating element clamped between said parts of the body when the parts are screwed together, said heating element being accessible for engagement with the end of a cigar or cigarette when the same is passedA through the central bore in one of said parts of the body.

9. A cigar-lighter comprising a body provided with lan ash-guard and a heating element located at the bottom of said ashguard; and a holding device having a .postlike projection adapted to extend into said ash-guard and thereby supportA the body for quick removal and replacement.

10. A cigar-lighter comprising a body provided With an ash-guard and a heating element located at the bottom of said ashguard; a vholding device having a post-like projection adapted to extend into said ashguard and thereby support the body for quick removal and replacement; and means on said projection for carrying current to the heating element 011 the body.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield, and State ot' Connecticut, this 7th day of September, 1928.

JOSEPH H. COHEN.

DISCLAIMER v1,71 O,348.-`Joseph H. Gohan, Bridgeport, Conn.

Disclaimer filed May 20, 1931-, by the patentee, assignee, Casco April 23, 1.929. l Products Corporation, assenting. Hereby enters this disclaimer, to Wit:

CIGAn LIGHTER. Patent dated I hereby disclaim from the scope of claim 2 any and all cigar lighters except thoee in Which the cavity referred to is deep and the heating elementreferred to 1s so located in the cavity as to prevent casual engagement of the heating element by parts of the operators hand in handling the cigar lighter.

[Ojcz'aZ Gazette June 16', 1931.] 

